The Cecil Whig., 1887-11-12
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE VIRTUE.


progressive know that III this, as in all
other progress, while there is much gain,
there is some loss. No one who looks
back upon the moral condition of ancient
civilization, and compare it with that of
Our own, en- taII TO notice that while
upon the whole character is Of a far
higher type and better quality than for
mprlv, there are yet certain virtues, once
deemed absolutely essential that have
since sunk INTO comparative desuetude'
lhis is not strange; it follows the gen
eral It". that strong emphasis III any
one uliec.lon tends to some degree of
weakening in another. We know how
state of war and adversely develops
class Of vntueS utterly different from
those which peace and prosperity foster,
aud while one set is tlouTishIpg the other
Ianguishes. True progress, however, has
for one OF her most Important tasks that
of continually picking up these dropped
threadS-rccoyering these backward
steps. The uniting aud balancing of
seemingly antagonistic virtues form, in
iavt, one chief element in all moral ad-
vaucemeut.
Among the duties which our modified
civilization fails sufficiently to empha-
SIZE is that which is due to pudlic affairs.
In olden times the State was everything,
the Individual very little, save as he min
stered 10 tue State Domestic life, So
cal ties private busness-all were sub
prdiuatcG, and often very unjustly, to
the supp ,sed interests Of the nation. A
mans duty as a citIZen ranked first, all
others afterwards and if he were derelict
to that he was thought incapable of
virtue. Gradually, however, the duty of
the individual To himself and his imme-
dlate circle became more apparent and
received greater emphasis. Modern civil
lization made private life more cOmph-
Gated and demanding, and at present we
are in far more danger OF neglectng pub
lie duties than pei soual or social ones.
rrue in times of emergency public spirit
rises with enthusiasm to iuinll the de-
mauds OF the occasion, and we have had
in our own land uudoubted proofs that
our national life and prosperity were dear
to the hearts of the people. Get it is
not only i'll times of exceptional trial that
this spirit Is needed. Equally essential
is it that in times of peace and plenty,
when no danger threatens aad nothing
very exciting takes place, every indi-
vidual should keep his loyalty alive, his
interest Ill public affairs fresh and keen,
and his powers ceady for service when
ever and wherever they may be needed.
AS it is, there are numbers of the most
| intelligent, and in other respects con
scien.iouS men, who withdraw wholly or
| largely from public affairs, thus depriv-
Ing the city or State in which they
dwell o. the benefit Of their abilities and
chardc er.
So general is this apparent indifference
that 1t receives no penalty of shame or
diSpleasure from society. Such men are
usually respected as highly and esteemed
as nue.. as if they had not shrunk from
performing their obligations to the pub
lie. Should jhey act i'll a similar manner
- their families, their friends or their
business the popular sentiment would at
once condemns them, as they would justly
deserve. o. such neg lect, however, they
would never be guilty, because in these
matters their couscienCeS are awake and
active. while i'll public dutIes a strange
torpor has come over hem. Various eA-
cuses are brought forward to justify this
| neglect, but they would all vanish like
mist before the sun, did the weight of
responsibility tor these affairs rest upon
them as it should. 1t is very evident
that il all capable and honorable citizens
followed their example, public interests
must fall into the hands of the incompe-
| tent or tine disuonovable and national dis
aSter TuuId ensua. To some extent, in
deed this very eift ct does follow as the
troops OF selfish Office seekers, the misap-
propliation OF public funds and the fire.
quent results of political ignorance and
injustice plainly show. Integrity and
ability are needed everywhere, but no.
where more urgently than in the admin
| istration OF public affairs, and The man
who, possessing them, declines to employ
them " here they are SO much needed is
not guiltless of the many wrongs which
he sees aud lsmentS.
These observations are such as should
be taken ''home to mems business and
bosoms" when they are urged between
this and election day to act upon public
business with less care and less consci-
enCe than they would for their own pri-
public service worthy, capable and val
liable officers merely Tor the sake of
turning in other men less worthy or less
capable or totally unfit. Sensible men 90
not deal i'll that style with their impor-
| tant private concerns; they do not dis
| miss Intelligent agents, competent work
men, experienced toremen, skillful doc
tors or practiced lawyers to make places
for the opposite kiLd. Why, then,
should they do 1t i'll important public
matters simply because they are public?
Surely, it is bad morals, as it is perni-
ciOus practice, to do that.
An Excellent Medicine.
"My wife and myself were in bad heilth
for some fifteen years. | CHANGED to be
looking over one OF Simmons Liver Eegu-